With 664lb ft of torque available at just 1,000rpm, Audi’s new addition to the Q7 range can safely be listed as a game-changing machine.
The new Audi SQ7 is not just the flagship SUV of the German company but is also the first car to come equipped with an electric-powered compressor and a new 48v electrical system.
What that means is that the new 429hp 4.0-litre TDI V8 engine can offer virtually no lag in its throttle response thanks to the EPC which forces the air into the engine instantly, without the usual waiting time for a turbocharger to spool.
Audi says that this big battleship is able of a 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in 4.8 seconds with the top speed traditionally limited to 155mph (250km/h). CO2 emissions are rated at 194g/km with a combined fuel economy of 38.1mpg UK (7.4lt/100km).
The company had to install a 48v electrical system with a second lithium-ion battery mounted on the boot to provide with enough power the innovative EPC and the decoupling antiroll bar system.
Even if large SUVs with big engines is not really your thing, you have to admit that the on-board technology of this thing is just impressive. Not to mention how good it sounds for a diesel.
Autocar delivers its first impressions after driving the mighty Audi which normally would brag way more about its diesel nature but we have a small suspicion that the emissions scandal story is not allowing such things.